


"Today's my day."

by Ghostboy138



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-23
Updated: 2016-08-01
Packaged: 2018-07-26 07:20:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,248
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7565227
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ghostboy138/pseuds/Ghostboy138
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Xander has a bad Halloween.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. How many one eyed characters can I really turn him into?

**Author's Note:**

> Timeline here is pretty skewed to make this work. I tried not to think about it too hard while I was writing it. Not sure on pairings yet and will add more characters as the pop up. Also, don't own Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Avengers, or Loki.

Xander Harris was pissed. He was livid, enraged, furious, and all those other words that Willow would be so proud of him for knowing. First he wanted to stay in, then he was forced by Fuhrer Snyder to take a couple kids trick or treating. That was fine, at least Buffy and Willow would be with him. He'd even manage to get the last piece of his costume at that new shop Ethan's. Then he went home. And of course, his asshole father had to go and throw out his fatigues and then demand he go to the liquor store all the way across town to pick up a specific and little known brand of booze. So here he was, out after sunset, unarmed, in massive trouble with Snyder for blowing off the chaperoning event and it sounded like a war zone. He almost though to himself, 'How could this get worse?' but managed to bury that thought under some porn. Too bad he forgot he was Fate's Bitch.

“Well, well, well, if it isn't The One Who Sees. How fortunate am I to meet such a fabled being?”

Xander froze. Nothing had been able to sneak up on him in months, no vampires and no demons. He could smell, taste, hear, and yes, see the supernatural like nobody's business. He turned slowly, not wishing to startle or piss off whatever this was. He saw a guy, maybe a year older than him, dressed in green leather armor, with a scepter in his hand. His hair was blacker than sin and fell to just past his shoulders. He was shorter than Xander, if just barely, and luckily recognizable. “It's uhh Warren Meers right? Wait no...” For Xander now noticed that even though this man looked like Warren, it was all wrong. He carried himself proudly, arrogantly maybe. And for the first time in his life, having faced vampires, almost raping one of his best friends and lord knows what else, Xander felt true fear. Fear on a primal level, fear that would cause most beings in existence to cry and beg for mercy. For before him stood a god, or as close as one can get to being one. Before him stood... “Loki...”

“Oooh a fan I see? Marvelous. These uhh comic books and movies based on me and mine are quite flattering. Universal bleed through, how magnificent. I have to say I'm a fan of yours too you know. Th One Who Sees. He who can see people's hearts, see through magic and fate, the prophecy breaker.” Loki was walking, no strutting, towards him now, and Xander's brain was screaming at him to run away, but he couldn't. “I must say, you are slightly underwhelming. Though living on a Hellmouth would do that to one such as you, clouding your vision as it were. Allow me.” Faster than Xander could track, Loki's scepter was in his chest, piercing his heart, and suddenly Xander could see. He could see the black energy the Hellmouth filled the town with, could see streaks of gold radiating off Loki/Warren, and the myriad of thousands of other colors, some he couldn't even name, flying through the sky. “How is that Seer?”

Xander fell to his knees and stared at the wonder of it all and could think of only one word: “Beautiful.”

Loki looked down at his companion and laughed. “Indeed, magic is a wonderful thing. I really must find who ever did this and thank them. It seems I had some form of control on me, and in purging myself of the Hellmouth energies, I was cleansed of the control as well. Seeing clearly is always forsaken by those who can. Now... what to do with you?”

Here Xander's brain re-engaged and he struggled to rise. “Uhh I don't suppose you'll let me go will you?” Loki laughed so hard he struggled to breathe. Xander hung his head and sighed. “Yeah, didn't think so.”

Loki leaned against a nearby car trying to recover his breath. “My, that was truly entertaining. I look forward to seeing what you can do with my gift.” Xander looked up at that and stared at Loki in shock. “Yes, it seems in this world most pantheons are dead or completely locked away. My friends and family have been completely wiped out. I do not like that. So I'm to give you a gift. And though you'll suffer, you will thank me for it. Come along.” Loki turned and started walking off, heading towards the nearby forest. Xander followed without thought or hesitation, not stupid enough to risk angering a fucking god. After a few minutes, and Xander leisurely noticed that there's no way they could have walked this far that fast, the duo found themselves in a clearing with a large oak standing alone in the middle of it. “Well it's know Yggdrasil, but it shall do. Come here Seer.” Xander walked forward and stood facing Loki, his back against the tree.

Loki placed his hand Xander's shoulder and calmly looked into his eyes. “I'm going to empower you Seer. I'm going to use every last drop of my not inconsiderable power to do so. But even that won't be enough for what I aspire to do. So I shall completely drain this town, and maybe even the Hellmouth, of magical energy. This shall now only break the spell cast tonight, but shall easily make you if not as strong as I desire, then stronger.” Here Loki placed his hand against Xander's left cheek and Xander tried his hardest not to panic or piss himself. “I am sorry for what you'll have to go through. But I will sleep easier knowing that my family lives on in this universe. May Asgard rise again, All-father.” Xander tried to rack his brain for whatever Loki could be doing to him. Then he felt pain.

Loki reached forward and plucked Xander's left eye out while simultaneously lifting him in the air against the tree and using simple spear he had transmuted to stab Xander in his side and impale him into the tree. Xander screamed, and suddenly all of Sunnydale was still as his pain filled yell roared through the town. Then all the energy Loki had gathered, every last drop of magical power he and his scepter could tap into without destroying or fracturing reality poured into Xander, filling him on a cellular level. Then the real pain started. Xander thrashed on the spear, widening his wound and spraying blood on Loki and all over the clearing even as it fell from his side and pooled at the roots of the oak. Loki looked away as the young man in front of him cried and bled, telling himself it had to be done.

“For what it's worth, I'm sorry Xander. What you do is not easy and in truth has only ever been survived by one being before, my adopted father. Who I must visit and beg forgiveness from. Right after I put Midgard to rights.” Loki ran his hand through his hair, looking guiltier and more human than he ever had before. “I wish you luck Seer, and may visit you one day. I hope you can forgive me. Know this though, the spell has broken, your friends and the town are safe. The Hellmouth still exists, but is near drained and will take some months to replenish. Use your time wisely. I take my leave of this body.” With that, Loki left to return to his universe and face judgment. Warren Mears stumbled back and looked up at the body impaled before him. He turned and puked, before he fled the scene, trying his hardest to bury all knowledge of the night.

Xander stayed impaled to the tree. He bled. He wept. He cried out for Buffy, and Willow, and Giles, and Joyce, and Cordelia, and Warren, and Harmony, and Larry, and then even Angel. Anyone who could hear him. Who could save him. His only answer was a wolf in the distance and bird in the branches above him. Xander wept. And then he dreamed.

Day 1 on the tree: Xander awoke and cried out as he jostled the spear in his side. He tried to remember his dreams but the were broken and incoherent, full of blood and sex and life and death and rage and happiness and everything and nothing. He was pretty sure he was crazy now. He licked his lips, his mouth drying out, his stomach groaning in hunger. It seemed he had soiled himself sometime in the night. Does that mean he died? He hoped so. As far as hells went, this one was rather calm. Painful sure, but at least he wasn't being sodomized or flayed alive or anything. His mind started to wander and he found himself thinking of European colonization and it's effects on the locals. He shook his head and laughed to himself. It was not a happy laugh. He always knew he was smart, he just buried it away because of his father's jealousy. Too bad it took dying to realize it. He thought of Jesse. Their lives together. Willow, his little sister. Oh he knew she loved, or maybe obsessed over, him but it couldn't happen. Not now at least. He still missed Jesse, his first love and his first kiss with him on a warm summer night in middle school. Jesse was too embarrassed to ever say anything, but Xander knew and he was okay with it. And then he thought of Willow. His Willow. That shy little ball of sun, who would always be there for him no matter what. He loved her and would fight and kill to make her happy. And maybe one day if he could make himself a man worthy of her, he'd love nothing more than to be with her. And so the first day passed, filled with thoughts of the loves of his life.

Day 2 on the tree: After the first day he was thankful for the fact that this was happening during a Southern California autumn. Which meant it was only uncomfortably hot than scorchingly hot. He tried not to think of how tired and weak he felt. How empty he was. His side had stopped bleeding sometime in the night. Though that was probably because there was no blood left. He reached down and grabbed the spear, hoping that maybe it had moved a little in the last few hours since he had tried to pull it free. No such luck. He started to wander again. He thought first of Buffy. She was so beautiful, and powerful and so afraid. He loved her so much, and wanted to do his damnedest to fight with her and for her, even if she wouldn't let him. But it was too late, the creatures in the dark had stolen his first love from him, they would all burn. He paused and took a deep breath. He too often went dark when he thought about Jesse these days and that's the last thing he needed. He though of Giles. That old British phogey that he tried his hardest to annoy. He knew Giles secretly enjoyed it. And Xander enjoyed the hell out of having a sorta father figure actually pay attention to him and try to help him even a little. It made Xander feel all warm and fuzzy inside. He thought of Mrs. Summers. Joyce. How she always had a warm smile and a kind word for him. She listened and cared, even if he was only one of her daughter's friends. She made him want to be a better man, to live up to whatever standard she had that constituted a good man. He knew in that instant he would go to the ends of the earth for Joyce Summers, just like he would anyway else he loved. 

He tried not to think of Deadboy or Snyder. Or Cordelia for some reason. Naturally he did so. Angel was a corpse and a coward and cryptic as hell. Sure he was good in a fight, but that was only when he bothered to fight. And he was fucking dead, let's not forget that. A monstrosity masquerading as a real boy. Snyder was a dictator, emphasis on the dick. He was a small vindictive little man who relished in causing misery in those he viewed as beneath him. He did his best to keep the little people down while propping up those who were rich and good looking and powerful. And Cordelia! He wanted to say he hated her, but she just confused him. They sniped at each other constantly but lately there had been something more to it. And he knew that underneath all her vitriol there was a scared lonely little girl that cared about people. But she ran from that because it was safer and easier. Maybe if he ever saw her again he could talk to her. He snorted. That was way too optimistic.

Day 3 on the tree: Xander woke up and instantly focused on a single blade of grass in the clearing. He spent all day and all night looking at that single piece of grass, every ridge, every tear, and every movement it made. He had never felt so at peace before.

Day 4 on the tree: Xander's mind expanded. No that's not right. Close, but when he thought about it, his mind seemed to open up to everything. Or at least everything in the clearing, which he was starting to suspect was more than just a clearing. But as he stirred on the morning of the fourth day, he realized he could feel the clearing. Every ant and worm, every bird in his tree, every blade of grass and leaf, every speck of dirt. He could feel them living and existing and dying. Fighting to survive, to thrive and make their own way in the world, serve their own purpose. He experienced life as everything and for one day, Xander was one with the universe.

Day 5 on the tree: Xander died. Finally. It took five long days, filled with pain and experiences he could hardly believe. Reliving his entire life from an objective perspective was a real eye opener. And now that he was finally dead he was so damn disappointed he would never be able to make more of himself. He sighed in relief though as woman walked forward and removed him from the tree. She pulled the spear from his side and carried him to her horse. She set him on then climbed on behind him and flew into the sky. Eventually they flew to a hall where she dropped him off then departed. He walked in and smiled, as he was immediately greeted by the sights and sounds of a vigorous party. He drank and he fought and he ate and danced and he sang and he even wandered off at one point with a barmaid and did things that would make most porn stars blush. Then he went back and did it again, only to be dragged off by one of the other warriors there who proceeded to make Xander's head swim before he kissed Xander on the lips and returned to the party. Xander leaned against the wall, closed his eyes and smiled.

Xander awoke on the tree and fell to ground as the spear snapped. He tried to stand only to realize he was laying in a tent and was heavily armored. He sat up and grabbed the nearest weapon, a giant two-handed sword that he wielded easily in one. He walked to the tent flap and pushed it open. On an endless plain before him a battle was being waged. He smiled, hefted his blade and ran screaming into the battle, relishing in the fight and his blood lust.

Xander awoke with a scream as a skeletal figure drove it's hand into Xander's chest and pulled out his still beating heart and then ate it. The figure then proceeded to do the same with all of Xander's internal organs before flaying him alive and dismembering. Xander finally, thankfully passed out, only to wake, fully healed just in time to go through the exact same thing again.

Days 6 through 9 on the tree: Xander wasn't really sure he was Xander anymore. There wasn't much to be sure of for awhile there. His body lost shape and form and it seemed he was merged with with the sea and the sky and the mountains and the wolves and the bears and flies and salmon and everything that ever had and would walk on the planet earth. In that time he where awareness of self was beyond him he learned many things. Empathy with mankind, the cycle of life and death throughout the world, wars and their causes, peace and the compromises needed for it, a thousand ways to make people run in terror and a thousand more to make them happy and content. Then he was whole again and learning the intricacies of magic, the art of runes and their uses, how to fight, survive, build, create, lead, love, and pass judgment where necessary. He experienced all facets of life: mother, father, son, daughter, builder, baker, healer, king, pauper, general, sacrifice, lawmaker, and teacher. He lived and loved and hated a hundred times.

Dawn of the 10th day on the tree: The spear snapped and Xander fell to earth, landing in a small puddle of his own blood from days before. He struggled to stand, but rose as the sun broke over the far away mountains and shone upon him.

“To me Gungnir.” Xander held out his hand and the spear head that was recently holding him in place flew into his hand. He grasped it firmly and noticed it was still slick with his blood. Xander held it in front of him and ran his hand over it, changing it from a spear to a bone white war ax with a spearhead on top. He admired his work and named it “Eikafell. Good name, for an ax May you serve me and mine well in all things.” He hefted his ax over his shoulder and began to walk towards where he knew Sunnydale to be. However, his first step shattered the ground beneath his foot and his second caused the clearing he was in to rumble. “Hmm. That could be a problem. I wonder...” Xander looked to the sky and found himself lifted into the sky. He looked down with a wide smile on his face, one of sheer excitement. “Awesome.” He held his ax in front of him and flew towards his... home for lack of a better word. What little strength he had was rapidly fleeing him as he flew, and as he made it into town he crashed into the street with a shuddering thud, Eikafell vanishing and leaving a ditch in his wake. “Thaaaaat could have gone better I think.”

“Xander?!” He looked up as he was called and beheld a vision of an angel. Otherwise known as Cordelia Chase. She jumped out of her car and ran across the street, her dress flowing behind her, hair coming undone, make-up running from...tears? Oh that does it, Cordelia was now his favorite person ever. To make him feel like she just did, to make him actually feel missed when he always thought he'd go unknown and miserable? That's what gods and goddesses do. “Xander you look like hell! What the fuck happened to your eye?! And oh my god your stomach! What did this to you?!” Cordelia asked as she came up to him, voice getting higher but trying not succumb to hysterics. “We gotta get you to a hospital, oh man I don't think I can carry you to my car...”

Xander laughed softly and called to her. “Cordy.” Her head snapped to him, her eyes meeting his as he reached up and put his hand on her cheek. “I'll be okay Cordy, I just need some food, a ton of water, and some rest.” She made to protest but he softly stroked her cheek with his thumb, shocking her into silence. “I know Cordelia, I know. Just gimme a day and I'll be moving fine. I can stand but I might have to lean on you to get to your car. Can you do that for me Cordy? I'll tell you everything as soon as we get someplace safe.”

“Of course I can dweeb boy,” she choked out through tears that she couldn't tell if they were happy or sad. “Come on, let's get you up.” She leans down and wraps an arm around Xander's waist, gently lifting him up. They hobble to her car where she lays him down in the backseat, then climbs in front and drives off. “My parents are out of town, I can put you in my pool house. But you better start talking loser.” Cordelia glares at him in the rear view mirror for a moment, before they make eye contact and both start laughing, until Xander winces and clutches his side. “You sure you're gonna be okay Xander?” 

Xander smiles at they concern in her voice. “Of course Cordy. Something happened and well... I'm not the same Xander you knew. I'm not sure I'm even human anymore. But,” he interjects seeing her grow fearful that he might be a vamp, “I'm not a vamp or a demon or what have you. We are in the sun after all Cordy.”

She blushed and tried not to look him in the eye, but scrunched up her nose and snapped. “Well what the hell do you expect me to think Harris?! You disappear and suddenly you pop up just saying you're just fine when obviously you look like you've spent the last few days being tortured?! I don't even like you all that much and I was worried sick. Your precious little Willow has been practically catatonic since Halloween and Her Highness Buffy has been tearing apart demons and vampires alike looking for any sign of you!” Brushing tears out of her eyes, Cordelia turned into her driveway and drives behind her house... to another, slightly smaller house in the back. “We're here. Come on let's get you inside.”

Xander collapses onto the couch after being helped in by Cordelia. He sighs and tries his best to get comfortable, watching as she walks off into the kitchen. He realizes that maybe this is real and he is actually off that tree. His hope only soars when Cordelia walks back into the front room with a sandwich nearly as big as his mouth, a plate piled high with chips, and a pitcher of iced tea. “Oh man Cordy, I think I love you right now.”

Cordelia sets the plat down in front of him, fighting down her blush. “Oh shut up dweeb boy.” She sat down in a chair next to him and watched in bemusement as he practically inhaled the food. “So what happened exactly huh? And why haven't you had me call up Willow, Buffy, and Mr. Giles to come get you yet hmm? I thought that'd be your first priority.”

Xander nodded and swallowed the last of his first meal in over a week. “It would normally, but uhh still not sure this isn't some hallucination. And I kinda need to decompress and gather my thoughts about everything that happened. So Halloween, everyone became their costumes from what I gathered?” Cordelia nodded and he sighed. “Awesome. Well some junior, uhh Warren or whatever, decided to dress as Loki. From the movies.” Cordelia gasped and covered her mouth in shock. “Exactly. He wasn't evil, just a little crazy. Or a lot actually. He called me “The One Who Sees,” whatever that means. Said I could read people and see through spells or whatever. Then he told me to follow him, and I'm not gonna piss of the god in front of me, so I did. And then he ripped out my eye and stabbed me in the side, impaling me to a tree and leaving me dangling a few feet off the ground.” Xander looked to Cordelia and saw her crying. He reached out to grab her in hand in comfort and was surprised when she leapt out of her chair and onto him, wrapping her arms around him and held him tight. “Uhhh... Cordy?”

“Shut up doofus. Just let me have this for a second. I realized when you were missing that... maybe.. I'd miss you. And I kinda like having you around. You make me wanna be a better person. And tell anyone I said this and I'll kill you. Got it?” She glared at Xander, who tried to act nervous before he laughed a little.

“Sure Cordy.” He pulled her close and squeezed her tight. “While on the tree, I realized I'd miss you too. You make me wanna be better too. And it's not all bad. You didn't let me finish the story. I'm pretty sure Loki made me a god. Odin actually.”

“...WHAT?!”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woo second chapter. Really hope I got the voices right. Worst part about writing buffy fic is how well the characters are all defined, and accurately capturing their spirit. Also, the next chapter of Nine Lives should be up in about a week, barring any catastrophes.

Cordelia opened her mouth, as if she was about to say something, but closed her mouth with a shake of her head and an audible snap. Xander watched her, a smirk on his face as he waited for her to respond. It had been a full ten minutes since he had finished telling her everything that had happened on the tree. Or what he remembered at least. He was enjoying her confusion immensely, though part of him did feel kind of bad. Shaking his head to, he started to speak and hopefully help calm her down when she beat him to it.

“Prove it.” Xander couldn't see her face, but he could just tell she had her standard, and patented, Cordy-dealing-with-the-scum-of-the-earth glare going strong. 

“Yeah, that might be a problem.” Cordelia scoffed, causing him to blush. “Awww don't be like that Cordy. It's just, suddenly I've got major mojo going on here and I haven't even used it yet! I kinda know how to do stuff but what if I try conjuring a spark of fire and instead we end up with a freaking geyser of flame?”

Cordelia though for a moment before she frowned, it was not a pout, Cordelia Chase does not pout thank you very much. “Yeah I suppose I can see how that would be an issue. Is there anything you can do? Just so I know you didn't go crazy or anything.”

Xander snorted. “Gee thanks Cordy. Uhh yeah I can do this.” He held up his hand and called out... something. A name maybe. Cordelia couldn't recall, even though she was sure he had spoken clearly. Next thing she knew, there was an ax where there wasn't one before. One second ax, next second, no ax. Needles to say Cordelia was startled and she jumped. Right over the back of the couch they were sitting on. Xander tried hard not to laugh. For about two seconds.

“Agh! Not even remotely funny, you lame ass freak!” Cordelia was up and smacking the back of Xander's head, trying to get him to stop laughing. It was not very effective. “Warn a girl next time dammit!” Once she had settled down, and Xander had finally stopped laughing, Cordelia took a closer look at his weapon. It was roughly four feet long and seemed to be a beard ax. 'Thank you Buffy, for causing me to be able to differentiate weapon types,' she though as she rolled her eyes. The blade itself was a weird off white color. 'Hmm eggshell? No no, cream! No it's... oh. Bone. That's morbid.' The shaft ended in what looked like an ice pick. All together, it screamed 'Danger!' “Okay, I have to admit, that's fairly impressive. Sure you aren't compensating for something though dweeb?”

Xander scoffed. “Please Cor. Not before this whole mess. Definitely not now.” At her raised eyebrow he chuckled. “Well I was always pretty uhh... girthy Cordy.” He noticed she glanced down to his lap, then looked straight up and was blushing enough to give Willow a run for her money. “Yep, still got it.”

“Perv.” Cordelia smacked his arm but was unable to stop blushing. “Listen, I'm gone go home and get some sleep. There's a room upstairs, go ahead and sleep there tonight. I'll come over tomorrow morning and we can have breakfast and then head to school. I'll wrangle up some clothes for you to wear as well. Sound good? Good.” She was up and out the door before Xander had a chance to respond. Shaking his head, he pulled himself off the couch and went upstairs to sleep.

Cordelia came in the next morning to the sight of a shirtless Xander working in the kitchen. She paused and found herself staring at his body. He had looked like shit yesterday, covered in blood and his skin practically hanging off his bones. But now she noticed that he'd grown to at least six feet tall and looked like he had been carved from stone. She shook her head, thankful that she hadn't been drooling, though it was a close thing. 'Crap. The dweeb is gorgeous now. Oh, dibs!' Smirking to herself she set a bag of clothes she had brought with her on the table, only to notice it was completed covered in breakfast foods. “What the hell is all this?!”

Xander looked away from the stove and smiled at Cordelia, “What?”

Mentally counting to ten, she calmed down and glared at him. “This!” She waved an arm over the table. “Did you totally empty out the pantry and fridge? There's enough food here to feed an army!”

Xander looked over the table and flushed in embarrassment as he realized that the table was practically buckling under the weight of all the food he had made. He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly and replied, “Sorry. I guess I'm uhh still pretty damn hungry. I'll pay you back! I can try to pay you back. I think I can pay you back...” He did his best Willow Special puppy dog look, then remembered something. “Actually you know what, I'm a fucking god now. I'll definitely pay you back.”

Cordelia contemplated this for a moment and then nodded to herself. “Gold works. Bonus points for jewelry, you hear me nerd boy?”

“Yeah sure thing Cordy!” He smiled at her, genuinely happy. Cordelia couldn't recall ever getting a true smile from him. She decided she liked it and was most assuredly going to get more from him, whatever it took. Xander finished his last batch of eggs and set them down on the table. He sat at one end, Cordelia moving to sit beside him. He smiled at her and then proceeded to devour everything in front of him. Cordelia found herself lucky to get a plate and for a second was worried about losing a hand to his feeding frenzy.

“Holy crap Xander.” Five minutes later she stared in shock at the empty table in front of her and noticed that Xander had cleared the table, gotten up, cleaned the kitchen, and put on the new clothes she had brought him, all without her even noticing him move. “Super speed?! You have super speed?!”

Xander glanced at the clock and said, “Huh. I think I do. Awesome!” He broke into his patented, and awful, snoopy dance. Cordelia smacked her head in frustration and finished her food, before ushering him out the door and to her car. She just knew this was going to be a long morning.

Buffy pulled Willow into the library with her at the same time that Giles came out of his office. She smiled at him, though it didn't quite seem sincere. He smiled back to her and sipped from his cup of tea. She pretended not to notice the bags under his eyes, and he ignored her red eyes and tear-streaked cheeks. They would comfort each other later. There was an agreement throughout the entire school to not bring up Xander in any way, shape, or form around Willow. Even Harmony seemed to be respecting that, and had steered clear of Willow and Buffy. The real shocker was Cordelia, who had brought over a few pictures she had of Xander from when they were younger and cried with Willow. Of course, all that didn't stop Snyder from mocking him, even in death. He made the mistake of doing it withing earshot of one Willow Rosenberg though, and she punched him so hard she knocked him out. Giles tried admonishing her for it, but couldn't get a word out through the laughter.

Buffy would be the first to admit how much she missed her Xander-shaped friend. Without him, all the slayage was so much harder. It never really dawned on her just how his stupid jokes increased morale in the Scooby gang. Without him dealing with the betrayal of her 'friend' Ford was near impossible. If it hadn't been for Angel and her mother she probably would have cracked. And then there was Giles' past coming back to haunt them all. While not on quite the emotional kidney punch, it was still harder dealing with the darkness without being able to laugh at and with her friend. She sighed and set Willow down in a chair before hopping onto the table. Hopefully whatever it was the Cordelia called them all together for was good news. And hopefully she could find some way to help Willow out of her near catatonia at the loss of Xander.

Cordelia walked in then, at exactly 7:30, right on time as she always was. 'Speak of the devil I guess,' Buffy thought to herself as she rolled her eyes. Then she froze and looked in the doorway behind the Queen Bitch of Sunnydale. Something had pinged her slaydar. Something immensely, maybe even immeasurably powerful. For the first time she could ever remember, every fiber of her being, slayer essence included, was telling her to run as fast and far as she could. Just like that though it was gone, and she saw Xander standing behind Cordelia. She relaxed, then kicked herself for forgetting Xander was dead! She moved before she even realized she was doing so, one fist aimed at Cordelia's head, because she was either turned or enthralled, 'And of fucking course Cordelia of all people would get enthralled,' Buffy sneered to herself, and a stake aimed right at Xander's heart.

Xander saw what was happening almost before it even happened, though in truth he just knew exactly how Buffy would respond to him popping up after so long, and grabbed Cordelia's arm and pulled her behind him. He saw the stake heading for his heart and simply moved aside, while pulling Cordelia with him again. He received a smack to the head for that one, but there wasn't any real heat behind it. “Well that's a fine how-do-you-do you got there Buffmeister.” Xander ignored Cordelia and Giles simultaneous groan and kept his attention on Buffy. “I'd just like to point out real quick that I'm standing in a beam of sunlight, so no vamps here. Well unless I missed Deadboy somewhere.”

Buffy flushed and noticed that he was indeed standing in direct sunlight. “Sorry Xander, can't blame a girl for being cautious.”

“No no, I don't blame you at all. That's the best and only attitude to have when it comes to people mysteriously coming back from the dead, so s'all good.” Xander shot her a thumbs up and grinned at her.

Buffy shook her head and gaped at her Xander-shaped friend. “Wait, you mean it's really you?” Xander could hear the hope in her voice and it warmed him from his head to his toes.

“Yeah Buff, it's rea-,” that's as far as he got before he was tackled from behind by a red and blue blur. He rolled as he fell, wrapping his arms around his assailant, only to realize who it was. He smiled warmly at her, reaching up to wipe the tears from her eyes.

Said assailant looked at her bestest friend ever's face, only not noticing and then not caring(for the moment at least) about the fact he was down an eye. She whispered so softly only those with super hearing could make it out one word. “Xander?”

Xander pushed the two of them up using a single hand, cracking the floor in the process, then held her close, careful not to hurt her. “Yeah Wills, it's me. I'm back. And mostly okay.” Willow immediately burst into happy tears at that, and then shocked the entire room by jumping up and kissing Xander fiercely on the mouth. After several seconds of panicking, Xander kissed her back, deciding to let her wait until she was done. Several minutes later, and after Buffy, Giles, and Cordelia had moved to the other side of the library in embarrassment, the two of them broke apart, with Willow having a dazed smile on her face. “I'm glad you enjoyed it Will, but we kinda gotta talk about that at some point.”

Willow, lost in the bliss of the moment, assumed that to be a positive response to her kiss. “Sure thing Xander. After school maybe?” She asked, before sitting comfortably on Xander's lap. Xander shot Cordelia and Buffy a desperate look, to which Cordelia laughed and Buffy just smirked at him. He mumbled 'Traitors,' under his breath.

Giles let everything calm down before slowly walking up and sitting across from Xander. He took off his glasses, and looked his young male charge in the eye. “Son, what exactly happened? Tell us everything. We need to make sure that you're, uhh still you.” Xander nodded and stopped joking around with his friends to gather his thoughts.

“Well G-man-,” 

“Prat.”

Xander grinned at Giles. “Still got it. Well I can't tell you everything. A guy needs his secrets y'know?” This earned a laugh from Buffy and Cordelia, but a frown from Willow. “But really Giles. I can't tell you everything. Some of if is only meant for me, and some of it is not meant for mortals.” Giles raised an eyebrow, and mouthed 'Mortals?' to himself, while Buffy and Willow just looked confused. “Yeah mortals. It happened on Halloween, where everyone became their costume. I had a run in with a uh god more or less. Loki. Of the Norse Pantheon. Though this one was based off the comic and movie character. And well he kind of...” Xander told his story over the course of an hour. When he got to the part where he was half-blinded and impaled, Buffy and Willow both became rather upset, causing him to have to stop and console them. He then pulled an eyepatch out of thin air, astounding Giles. Once his empty socket was covered he continued on, but glossed over most of what he learned on the final days of his crucible. 

“I must say Xander you're tale is uhh r-rather extraordinary. I-I must confess, the Watchers' Council would chop off their arms and legs to get a hold of you. Which means o-o-of course that we will not let them know of your existence, will we Buffy?” At Buffy's shake of her head, Giles continued, “”However a little sleight of hand is not really all that astounding. I'm afraid I'll need more prrof of your uh god status.”

Xander paused for a moment to consider an act that would appropriately wow his audience. He was powerful true, but had little control over his new abilities. Doing what Giles wanted was like trying to pilot a space shuttle before you could even crawl. He suddenly smiled and looked up at Cordelia. “Well there is something I can do, something I had already planned to do. But I need help. Cordelia would you like to be my lovely assistant?” Xander stood and walked into the stacks, motioning for Cordelia to follow him. She did but with a thoughtful look on her face. Willow, Buffy, and Giles shot each other shrugs and went about their morning meeting ritual until they heard a commotion coming from where Xander and Cordelia had vanished. Moments later, Xander walked out looking triumphant, with Cordelia coming out in a daze.

Willow looked concerned, though less for Cordelia and more on Xander's smirk. “What happened?”

“Nothing!” Cordelia blurted out, before glaring at Xander who just laughed. She caught his eye and nodded. He smiled back at her and reached over his shoulder and pulled out Eikafell, suitably stunning his friends. Cordelia took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. “You promise this won't hurt?” The onlookers immediately grew concerned, but Xander just nodded again. “Do it.”

“I thank you for joining me. It was tough knowing that I was technically all alone in the 'verse. Welcome Cordelia.” With that said Xander lunged forward with his ax, stabbing Cordelia directly in the heart with the spear point at the end of his ax handle. Before Buffy could do more than gasp, Cordelia started to glow. It got so bright that all but Xander had to look away. It went on for several minutes, before dying down, showing Cordelia on the floor, curled up in on herself.

Buffy ran towards the queen of the school, furious. “Xander, what the hell did you do? We may not have liked Cordelia that much, but you didn't have to kill her!” Once Buffy reached Cordelia, she was shocked to see that she was still breathing. Even more shocking was the fact that there was absolutely no blood, either on the floor or Cordelia's chest. Looking at Xander's spear tip, she discovered there was still no blood. Glaring at her friend she demanded, “What. Did. You. Do?”

“I made her like me, a god. With her permission of course.”

Once Xander spoke, Cordelia gasped for air and stood. Where once was a radiant beauty, now stood a force of nature. She was taller, her hair was longer, her face sharper, her body looked even better, with her muscles more defined than anyone could ever remember them being. She seemed almost to exude power, and her regal bearing practically had Giles bowing to her. “Well,” she spoke up in a voice laced with power, “that was different. Thank you my King. I promise to be worthy of my place in the pantheon.”

Xander smiled warmly at her and motioned her into a hug. She beamed at him and accepted easily. He kissed her forehead softly and spoke, “None of that properness stuff okay Cordy? I'm not Odin. Just Xander 2.0, ok maybe like 4.0 but still. How do you feel?”

Cordelia pulled back and broke out into a series of stretches, finding herself far more flexible than before. She also found she wasn't anywhere near as tired as she typically was after running through her exercises. She smirked back at Xander, “I feel amazing doofus, how'd you think I'd feel?” For emphasis, she grabbed the nearest bookcase and lifted it up over her head with ease. 

Xander made to speak but was cut off by Giles shouting, “What the bloody hell was that?!” Xander and Cordelia looked bashful and remembered that there were others in the room with them. Giles moved to examine Cordelia, but was pushed back as he reached for her.

“I am NOT something for you to study, do you hear me Watcher man?” Cordelia glared, and Giles could have sworn she would have ripped him in two were he anyone else. Giles had the grace to look ashamed, and seemed even further cowed by the glare Xander leveled at him. He moved back towards his office and set about looking for books to study that may be able to shed some light on this whole mess. 

“Xander,” Willow spoke up softly. She waited for him to turn to her, then smacked him. “Don't do that again without a little warning! We thought you were killing her! And sure, we,” here she motioned to herself, Buffy, and Xander, “may hate her,” Cordelia frowned, but did nothing after Xander waved her off, “but that doesn't mean we want her to suffer like that. So maybe no more god-making okay?” Willow immediately used her famous Resolve Face and expected Xander to promptly agree with her. So imagine her surprise, and Buffy's having come to know the dynamics of their relationship rather well, when he and Cordelia both laughed.

“Wills,” Xander began, “I will always love you. And you too Buffster, but don't think you can presume to order me around. I am a god. Odin himself practically. As in the allfather, god of magic, wisdom, and war. Likewise, Cordelia is Freyja, goddess of battle, love, and fertility.” Cordelia blushed as she realized a few implications of her new role in life. “We are the first of a new pantheon, that I have to build from scratch. If I see someone that I think fits a role well, then I shall ask them to join us. Simple as that.” 

“Well, wh-what about us,” Willow demanded, everyone taken back by the rage she had managed to work herself into. Truthfully, she was not used to Xander disagreeing with her, and was also rather furious at his naming of Cordelia as the goddess of love. “Wouldn't me and Buffy, you're real friends make good choices to join your pantheon, as opposed to some sk-sk-skank that probably conned you into it so she could stay young forever or some such nonsense?!” Xander turned to Willow and sighed.

“Wills, to know if someone would make a good god I look into their hearts. Ultimately, I am aiming for a benevolent, helpful pantheon. Cordy here may have been a bit of a bitca,” Cordelia mouthed 'Bitca?' to herself, causing Buffy, Willow, and Xander to laugh, “but she has a heart of gold. It just needs a little coaxing. You Willow, are good at heart too, but you have a darkness and a thirst for knowledge that would make you easily corruptible. And Buffy, you are far too selfish to be a god.” Xander ignored Buffy's indignant squawk and powered on. “Buffy, since you've accepted that I am what I say I am, all you've thought about is how now you don't have to fight the monsters in the dark anymore, because I can do it all, letting you be a normal girl. True or False?”

Buffy looked away, refusing to meet anyone's eye. “It's just.. Xander, you could save the world! I wouldn't have to sacrifice my happiness and any chance I have at a regular life for some stupid war I never wanted a part of. Yeah maybe that is selfish, but what the hell do you want from me? I'm just a girl! I'm only seventeen It's not fair!” Buffy realized she had started yelling at the end of her mini-rant. Tears were forming in her eyes, when she felt a strong hand on her shoulder. She looked up to see her best guy friend smiling down at her.

“I know Buff. It's not fair, and it can suck sometimes. But you have the power to save people's lives. Every vamp you kill, every apocalypse you stop, and every evil demon you kill is another life saved.” Xander pulled her into a tight hug. “And I'll be there with you, ever step of the way. Especially once I get my own powers and strength under control. You have my word on that, Buffster.” Before Buffy could reply, the warning bell rang. It startled everyone present, causing them to all seperate. Willow practically ran out of the library, with Cordelia following her slowly and glaring at her the whole time. Buffy gave Xander a small smile and pulled away, then left to her first class. Giles came up to Xander and placed a hand on his shoulder.

“Come on Xander, let's get this day over with. Off to class with you now.” Giles walked back to his desk, only to notice that Xander had walked back into the stacks instead of leaving the library. Giles craned his neck to look for him and called out, “Xander?” He was startled when the boy dropped several texts on the counter by him. Giles picked one up and raised an eyebrow in confusion. “Architecture 101?”

Xander smirked in response. “Well I'm a god y'know? First of a new pantheon. Gotta build me a godly city, maybe with a castle. Especially if I'll be living with Cordelia. But for now, I was thinking I'd read these, get a feel for some design, then head back into the woods and find that oak I was impaled to. I think it might be my version of Yggdrasil, so it needs to be protected.”

“And what exactly are you planning on building out there?”

“I was thinking a mead hall honestly. Of course, then I'll have to find some mead somewhere.”

“Oh wonderful. I shan't be the one to tell Willow that you're not going to class by the way. That's all on you my boy.”

“Oh. Right. Probably should tell her I'm moving out too huh? That's gonna be a fun conversation.”


End file.
